By Hayley Robinson

Snow is still causing chaos across Sittingbourne.

More than 20 schools failed to open this morning either due to staff shortages or for health and safety reasons due to the icy conditions.

Trains have also been cancelled between Sittingbourne and Sheerness-on-sea. A bus replacement service will run between the two stations until the end of today.

Sittingbourne based bus and coach operator Chalkwell has cancelled all of its bus and commuter services from today until Monday.

Meanwhile most of Arriva’s services are running as normal but service 333 is unable to serve Oare, Detling Village or Vinters Park. Service 334 is unable to serve Iwade, Detling Village or Vinters Park, service 347 can’t serve Ridham Avenue or Newman Drive, 349 is unable to serve Murston or Great Easthall and buses can not access the bus stop at the Forum Shopping Centre.

Swale Borough Council’s refuse and recycling collection is still suspended.

Residents are advised to put their black sacks and recycling bags out in the hope the service will resume sometime soon.

A spokesman for the council said: "Please rest assured we will do all we can to provide a service to all properties in the days ahead. We are in contact with the Met Office and are monitoring the position. Our plan of operation is obviously weather-dependent but our aim is to clear all overdue collections as soon as possible.

"At the moment it seems likely we may not be able to restart services until Monday.

"For next week every endeavour will be made to collect your refuse or recycling on the normal due date."

Swale Borough Council’s planning meeting was cancelled last night (Thursday) due to the snow. Members are expected to meet at Swale House at 7pm on Monday.

Kent Police is still advising motorists not to travel unless it’s absolutely necessary. Much of the snowfall from the past few days has now turned to ice making driving conditions in many parts hazardous.

South East Coast Ambulance Service is under extreme pressure and is prioritising life-threatening calls above all others.

NHS Eastern and Coastal Kent is urging people to use other NHS services such as their GP, walk-in centres or NHS Direct rather than dialling 999 or visiting the accident and emergency department.

Sittingbourne Memorial Hospital is open as normal including the Minor Injuries Unit.

So far the hospital has dealt with about 20 patients who have suffered injuries due to the icy conditions.

A spokesman for NHS Eastern and Coastal Kent Community Services said: "Gritting in public venues such as a hospital is standard procedure however we would urge all visitors to all our sites to take extra care due to the extreme weather."

Meanwhile students across Swale who are due to sit GCSE and A level exams next week have been told they must attend school on Monday even if its closed as the examination boards have decided the exam timetable will still go ahead despite the big freeze.

For information about road conditions on motorways and trunk roads, check the Highway Agency website at http://highways.gov.uk/

For information on weather conditions, visit the Met Office website at http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/

For further updates on Swale Borough Council's refuse collection service visit http://www.swale.gov.uk/snow/

For further information about exams visit the school websites:

http://www.highsted.kent.sch.uk/

http://www.theisleofsheppeyacademy.org.uk/

http://www.westlands.org.uk/

http://www.bordengrammar.kent.sch.uk/

http://www.sittingbourne.kent.sch.uk/

http://www.fulstonmanor.kent.sch.uk/